Means for completing the closure of a partially closed shotgun shell casing



United States Patent tice MEANS FOR COMPLETING THE CLOSURE F A PARTIALLY CLOSED SHOTGUN SHELL CASING James H. Tuck, Memphis, Tenn., assignor to Mary R. Tuck, Memphis, Tenn. Filed Feb. 26, 1965, Ser. No. 435,464 8 Claims. (Cl. 86-40) This invention relates generally to shotgun shell reloading apparatus, and particularly relates to means for completing the clos-ure of a partially closed shotgun shell caslng.

The present invention is directed particularly to shotgun shell reloading apparatus such as is used by the typical hunter for reloading or recharging shell casings with primer, powder, wadding and shot. The present invention is also directed to such lever-operable home use reloader devices which employ two separate and sequential operations for closing the shell casing after the primer, powder, wadding and shot have been inserted in the casing.

A shotgun shell reloading apparatus having two operations for `closing shell casings is the Herter Professional Reloader, Model No. 72. In this shell reloading device, after the primer, powder, etc. have been inserted in previous operations of the device, the shell casing is partially closed in a first operation by inwardly crimping the open end edge portion of the shell casing in a number of equi-angularly arranged undulations. In the second operation, the partially closed shell casing is completely closed. In the Herter reloader, the shell is placed in a certain place for each of the two casing closing operations, and each operation requires an up and down movement of the hand operable lever.

The present invention mainly concerns the second operation for effecting the 1in-al closing of the shell casing, an-d the structure of the present invention is particularly adapted to be used with, or incorporated in, a reloading apparatus of the above-mentioned type, alth-ough it is not limited to use with this type of reloader.

An important object lof the present invention is to provide such shotgun shell closure means which is particularly suited for closing shells having plastic shell casings.

A further objects is provided such shotgun shell clo- Vsure means for plastic shell casings which does not require heat or .adhesive to effect the closure.

A further object is to provide such shotgun shell closure means which forms a secure closure and substantially eliminates the likelihood that a closed shell will inadvertently come upon and spill the shot.

A further object is to provide such shotgun shell closure means which includes a plunger or core member having an undulated bottom surface for effecting a secure closure of the shell casing.

A further object is to provide a unique pin arrangement depending centrally from the bottom surface of the core member for insuring a tight and effect-ive cio-sure of the shell casing.

A furt-her object is to provide such shotgun shell closure means which is sturdy and durable and is easy to use.

A further object is generally to improve the design and construction of shotgun shell closure means.

The means by which the foregoing and other objects of the present invention are accomplished and the manner of their accomplishment will be readily understood from the following specification upon reference to the accompanying drawings, in which:

FIG. l is a side elevational view of the device of the present invention shown partly in section and illustrating up and down.

the device as in use and disposed at the initial starting position for completing the closure of a shotgun shell casing.

FIG. 2 is a View similar to FIG. l and shows the device disposed as in the nal closing of the shell casing.

FIG. 3 is an enlarged fragmentary showing of the shell cl-osing plunger or core mem-ber of the present invention.

FIG. 4 is a bottom View of the core member.

FIG. 5 is a longitudinal sectional showing of the head portion of the core member taken as on the line V--V of FIG. 4 and illustrating also (in broken lines and schematically) the partially closed open end of a shell casing.

FIG. 6 is a longitudinal sectional view taken as on the line VI-VI of FIG. 4 land illustrating also (in broken lines and schematically) the fully closed end of the shell casing.

FIG. 7 is an enlarged top View of t-he partially closed end of the shell casing taken as on the line VII-VII of FIG. l.

FIG. 8 is an enlarged top view of the completely closed end of the shell casing taken as on the line VIII-VIII of FIG. 2.

At the outset, it should be pointed out that the device shown in the drawings, and substantially all the description to follow, will be directed toward the final crimping or closing step of the two step shell closing sequence and toward such structure for accomplishing this iinal step. FIGS. l and 7 illustrate the shell casing after it has been partially closed. It will be understood that the apparatus or structure for rendering the shell casing in a partially closed form, although not shown, is somewhat typical and is well-known to those skilled in the art. It is considered sufiicient to mention that the shell casing C, as shown in FIGS. 1 and 7, in the partially closed form, includes a plurality of substantially uniform and equi-angularly arranged undulations U, or crimps, in the open end edge porti-on of the casing. Preferably, six inward arcuate portions U and six outward Aarcuate portions U" of the undulations, Ialternatingly arranged, comprise the partial closure of shell vcasing C, as best seen in FIG. 7.

In the drawings, the loading machine, which has been modified in accordance with the present invention, is indicated in general by the numeral 11, and includes, basically, a sizing member 13, a core member 15, a base 17, and lever operable means for moving sizing member 13 Sizing member i3 preferably includes an upper section 19 and a crimping die body or lower section 21 threadedly secured together by co-acting internal and external threads respectively of the lower and upper sections of sizing member 13.

The lever-operable means for actuating sizing member 13 basically includes a lever 23, a cylindrical bar 25 slidably secured in bore opening 27 of base 17, and a plate member 29A Lever 23 is somewhat angular and is pivotally fulcrumed from base 17 by a pivot pin 31. A slotted opening 33 is provided at the lower end of lever 23. A pin 35, extending respectively through apertures in the lower end of bar 25 and through slotted opening 33, articulatingly secures lever 23 and bar 25. The upwardly disposed end of bar 25 is provided with a reduced and shouldered portion 37. Plate member 29 is provided with a smooth bore aperture 39 and a threaded aperture 41. The reduced upper end portion 37 of bar 25 is fitted in aperture 39 of plate member 29. Portion 3-7 is provided with external threads and a nut 43 engaging the threads of portion 37, which xedly secures plate member 29 to cylindrical bar 25.

External threads 45 are provided in the upper portion threaded portion of member 13 is threadedly secured in aperture 41 of plate member 29. A lock nut 47, engaging threads 45 and the upper surface of plate member 29, adjustably locks sizing member 13 at a desired position. Another lock nut 49 engages the external threads of upper section 19 and the upper end surface of lower section 21 to adjustably lock together the upper and lower sections 19, 21 of sizing member 13.

Lower section 21 of sizing member 13 is provided with a downwardly opening socket or recess disposed over upper surface 51 of base 17. The recess is of a size to snugly fit casing C of the shotgun shell. An annular internal flange or shoulder 53 having an axial bore opening 54 is provided intermediate the length of lower section 21 of sizing member 13. Cylindrical core member is free-fitted in bore openings 55, S4 respectively of upper and lower sections 19, 21 of sizing member 13 and is turnable and axially movable in the sizing member.

Stop means is provided for stopping the axial upward movement or travel of core member 15 relative to sizing member 13. An inwardly flanged or shouldered 4portion 57, disposed at the upper end of upper section 19 of sizing member 13, preferably provides the stop means for core member 15. Manually operable means is provided for raising and lowering core member 15 relative to sizing member 13 and for turnably aligning the core member with casing C of the shotgun shell. The means for manipulating core member 15 preferably includes a rod member 59 extending through an aperture 61 in shouldered portion 57 and threadedly fitted in the upper or body portion 631 of the core member, A knurled knob 65 is fixed to the upper end of rod member 59 and provides finger grip means for the manipulation of core member 15, as well as providing a limit stop for the downward movement of core member 15 relative to sizing member 13.

The downwardly depending head portion 67 of core member 15 is provided with an undulated bottom surface with the number of undulations thereof equaling the number of undulations U of casing C. Head portion 67 preferably includes six circularly arranged and downwardly depending somewhat pyramidal .portions or protrusion portions 69 and six recessed portions respectively defined by concave surfaces 71. The protrusion and recessed portions 69, 71 respectively are alternately and equiangularly arranged. Each protrusion portion 69 includes a substantially blunt edge surface 73 extending radially from the axial center of core member 15. Each of protrusion portions 69 additionally includes a blunt apex surface 75 at the cylindrical periphery of head portion 67. Each recessed portion 71 is-disposed between two protrusion portions 69 with the concave surfaces thereof extending radially and substantially perpendicularly of the axis of core member head portion 67. The blunt edge surface 73 of each protrusion portion 69 is disposed ohliquely of the axis of core member 15, extends downwardly and outwardly, and terminates in a blunt apex surface 75. The apex surface 75 of each protrusion portion 69 lies substantially in a plane disposed perpendicularly of the axis of core member 15. An axially located center pin 79 is provided on core member head portion 67. Center pin 79 is preferably provided with a threaded body portion 81 and is threadedly xed in an aperture 83 in core member 15. Pin 79 is slightly convergingly tapered downwardly from body portion 81 to the lower end terminus 85 thereof. Terminus 85 of center pin 79 is preferably disposed somewhat below the protrusion portions 69 and apex surfaces 75, as best seen in FIGS. 3 and 5.

It should be pointed out that, in the reloader illustrated in the drawings, which is of the type like the Herter reloader and which serves as an example of the environment of the present invention, that has been modiiied in accor-dance with the present invention, the parts which are not new and are typical of prior devices are the base 17, lever 23, cylindrical bar 25, plate member 29, lower section 21, and the related incidental parts. Also, it should be noted that applicants invention primarily relates to the core member 15 and upper section 19 including the ancillary parts thereof, and the relationship of these members and parts with the heretofore mentioned environment. In other words, applicants device can be thought of as an adapter 86, which includes core member 15 having a head portion 67 and a center pin 79, a rod member 59 attached to the upper end of the core member and having a knob 65, an-d which adapter includes an upper section 19. Heretofore, in the typical reloader of this type, in place of adapter 86 there was a member known as a crimper which had a at button-like circular head and which member was threadedly engaged in lower section 21 so that, in use, it remained xed relative to lower section 21. This previous crimper was used for crimping paper shells and was satisfactory for that purpose. However, it was unsatisfactory for crimping plastic shells, as will be more apparent from the following description. One of the major problems encountered in vtrying to close the plastic shell casings with a flat circular head of the type heretofore described is the problem of the plastic not folding uniformly when pressed downwardly, and its resiliency or tendency to move from its initially pressed .position after the crimping head has been removed therefrom. In other words, in using such a fiat circular head, the plastic would spring upwardly and not provide a tight closure. However, with the use of the adapter 86 of the present invention, all of the heretofore mentioned and other problems are overcome, as will be understood in the operation of the present invention described hereinafter. Also, it will be understood that the prior devices can easily be converted to a reloader embodying the present invention simply by unscrewing the previous crimper and, in its place, threadedly securing the adapter S6 of the present invention.

In using the reloader 11 which has the adapter 86 of the present invention combined therewith, and in cornpleting the closure of `a partially closed shell casing, the following procedure may be carried out: With lever 23 in a down position, and sizing member 13 in an upward position, as shown in FIG. 1, the core member 15 is lifted upwardly relative to lower section 21 by pulling upwardly on knob 65 so that the core member 15 is in a raised position, as, for example, like that shown in FIG. 1. This raised position should be such that there is sucient clearance so that a partially closed shell casing C can be placed thereunder with space therebetween, as shown in FIG. 1. With the core member 15 in such a raised position, the core member is then turned by the knob 65 until the protrusion portions 69 are in alignment with the recessed arcuate portions U of the casing C. After such an alignment has been made, the core member 15 is released and it drops down on top of the casing C with the protrusions 69 fitting into the recessed arcuate portions U. With the undulations of core member head portion 67 and undulations U of the shotgun shell casing C fitted together, as above described, lever 23 is then moved upwardly. The upward movement of lever 23 moves lower section 21 of sizing member 13 downwardly over shell casing C and upper section 19 downwardly around core member 15. When the upper end of core member 15 engages shouldered portion 57 of sizing member upper section 19, continued upward movement of the lever 23 will complete the closure of shell casing C, as seen in FIG. 2. Lever 23 may then be moved to a down position and the shotgun shell retracted from the sizing member.

It will be understood that the protrusions 69 and the shape of head portion 67, and pin 79 play an important part in the proper closing of the shell casings. Thus, in pressing down on the top of the shell casing, the pin 79 prevents the overlapping of the plastic and keeps a positive center. Further, as the pressure of the plastic is .applied against the pin, the plastic which is being formed or spring which is locked in place after going beyond `the dead center.

With the present invention, no heat is required, as with some prior devices using plastic, and the closure stays firmly in place.

Various adjustments to device 11 may be made to facilitate a desired closure or to accommodate a certain length shell casing. To adjust the device 11 to a particular `length shell or shell casing, the user may turnable manipulate sizing member 13 and secure the member at a desired location by engaging lock nut 47. The depth of crimp of the shell casing, or the distance of the closure crimp from the upper rim Vof the shell casing, may be regulated by contra-turning or manipulating upper section 19 and lower section 21. Lock nut 49 secures the upper and lower sections 19, 21 at a desired disposition or extension. Threadedly turning upper section 19 into lower section 21 causes core member head portion 67 to form a deeper closure in shell casing C than would a prior adjustment. Conversely, turning outwardly on upper section 19 causes a shallow closure of the shell casing.

From the foregoing specification, it will be understood that the reloader 11 of the present invention provides means for tightly and efficiently completing the closure of plastic shotgun shell casings. In addition, it will be understood that economical and convenient means is provided for quickly and easily converting a shotgun shell reloader for paper casings to one for reloading plastic casings. Furthermore, such means is provided which does not require heat and yet provides means for securing the closure so well that the likelihood of the closed shell accidentally coming open is substantially eliminated.

Although the invention has been described and illustrated with respect to a preferred embodiment thereof, it is to be understood that it is not to be so limited since changes and modifications may be made therein which are within the full intended scope of this invention as hereinafter claimed.

I claim:

1. In a shotgun shell reloading apparatus of the type including a base Ihaving a at upper surface, a vertically disposed bar slidably secured in said base, lever operable actuating means for moving said bar up and down, a horizontal plate member rigidly secured on the upper end of said bar, a sizing member including a lower section -rhaving a downwardly opening cylindrical recess and means securing said sizing member to said plate member with said cylindrical recess disposed over said upper surface of said base; the structure for completing the closure of a partially closed shell casing having a partially closed open end edge portion including a plurality of undulations therein, said structure comprising an upper section rela-- tively fixedly secured to said lower section, a core member in said upper section and said lower section freely turnable for at least a part of 360 rotation and freely axially movable relative to said sizing member, said core member including a vertically disposed cylindrical head portion having a circularly extending undulated bottom surface with the number of undulations thereof being equal t the number of undulations of said partially closed open end edge portion of said shell casing; stop means for stopping the upward travel of said core member relative to said sizing member; and finger grip means for freely and quickly raising and lowering said core member -relative to said sizing member and for turnably aligning said undulated surface of said core member with said undulated edge portion of said shell casing, said core member being freely movable to a lowered position wherein said head portion extends out of said sizing member; said vertically disposed cylindrical head portion of said core member including a plurality of circularly arranged pyramidal portions and a like plurality of circularly arranged recessed portions, said pyramidal portions and said recessed portions being alternately and equiangularly ar ranged, each pyramidal portion having a radially extending blunt edge surface and a substantially blunt apex surface, each recessed portion disposed between two pyrami-l dal portions having a concave surface extending radially and substantially perpendicularly of the axis of said cylindrical head portion of said core member, said blunt edge surface of each said pyramidal portion being disposed obliquely of said axis of said core member and extending radially downwardly and -outwardly and with each edge surface terminating respectively in a blunt apex surface, said apex surface of each said pyramidal portion lying substantially in a plane disposed perpendicularly of said axis of said core member.

2. In a shotgun shell reloading apparatus of the type including a base having a flat upper surface, a vertically disposed bar slidably secured in said base, lever operable actuating means for moving said bar up and down, a horizontal plate member rigidly secured on the upper end of said bar, a sizing member including a lower section having a downwardly opening cylindrical recess and means securing said sizing member to said plate member with said cylindrical recess disposed over said upper surface of said base; the structure for completing the closure of a partially closed shell casing having a partially closed open end edge portion including a plurality of undulations therein, said structure comprising an upper section relatively fixedly secured to said lower section, a core member in said upper section and said lower section freely turnable for at least a part of 360 rotation and freely axially movable relative to said sizing member, said core member including a vertically disposed cylindrical head portion having a circularly extending undulated bottom surface with the number of undulations thereof being equal to the number of undulations of said partially closed open end edge portion of said shell casing; stop means for stopping the upward travel of said core member relative to said sizing member; and nger grip means for freely and quickly raising and lowering said core member relative to said sizing member and for turnably aligning said undulated surface of said core member with said undulated edge portion of said shell casing, said core member being freely movable to a lowered position wherein said head portion extends out of said sizing member; said vertically disposed cylindrical head portion of said core member including a plurality of circularly arranged pyramidal portions and a like plurality of circularly arranged recessed portions, said pyramidal portions and said recessed portions being alternately and equiangularly arranged, each pyramidal portion having a radially extending blunt edge surface and a substantially blunt apex surface, each recessed portion disposed between two pyramidal portions having a concave surface extending radially and substantially perpendicularly of the axis of said cylindrical head portion of said core member, said blunt edge surface of each said pyramidal portion being disposed obliquely of said axis of said core member and extending radially downwardly and outwardly and with each edge surface terminating respectively in a blunt apex surface, said apex surface of each said pyramidal portion lying substantially in a plane disposed perpendicularly of said axis of said core member; said vertically disposed cylindrical head portion of said core member including a center pin fixedly secured to said head portion and extending axially and downwardly from said circularly extending undulated bottom surface of said head portion, said center pin being slightly convergingly tapered from its upwardly disposed mounting to the lower end terminus thereof, and said center pin extending below the apex surfaces of said plurality of circularly arranged pyramidal portions.

3. An adapter for use with a shotgun shell reloading apparatus of the type including a vertically movable sizing means for engagement with the upper undulated end of a partially closed shell casing, said adapter comprising means for completing the closure of said partially closed shell casing comprising a core member adapted to be freely turnable for at least a part of a 360 rotation and axially movably fitted with said sizing means, said core member including a head portion having an undulated bottom surface adapted to mate with said undulated end of said partially closed shell casing, said vertically disposed cylindrical head portion of said core member including a plurality of circularly arranged pyramidal portions and a like plurality of circularly arranged recessed portions, said pyramidal portions and said recessed portions being alternately and equiangularly arranged, each pyramidal portion having a radially extending blunt edge surface and a substantially blunt apex surface, each recessed portion disposed between two pyramidal portions having a concave surface extending radially and substantially perpendicularly of the axis of said cylindrical head portion of said core member, said blunt edge surface of each said pyramidal portion being disposed obliquely of said axis of said core member and extending radially downwardly and outwardly and with each edge surface terminating respectively in a blunt apex surface, said apex surface of each said pyramidal portion lying substantially in a plane disposed perpendicularly of said axis of said core member, and inger grip means for freely and quickly manipulating said core member to tit said head portion into mating relationship with said undulated end of said partially closed shell casing, said core member being freely movable to a lowered position wherein said head portion is adapted to extend out of said sizing member.

4. In shotgun shell reloading apparatus including means for partially closing the open end portion of a shotgun shell casing including means for circumferentially inwardly crimping the open end edge portion of said casing to form a plurality of circularly extending equiangularly arranged undulations: the means for completing the closure of the partially closed shell casing comprising a base (17) including structure for vertically supporting said shell casing with said partially closed end arranged upwardly, a sizing member (13) including structure deining a downwardly opening socket-like cylindrical recess and such recess adapted to coaxially receive the partially closed shell casing, said structure defining said recess including an annular shoulder portion (53) having a vertical bore opening (54) coaxially arranged with said cylindrical recess, a Vertical core member (15) coaxially fitted in said bore opening (54) in said sizing member shoulder portion (53) axially bi-directionally displaceable in said :sizing member and turnable in said sizing member, said ycore member including a head portion (67) having a circularly extending undulated bottom surface having a numlber of undulations corresponding to the number ott un- -dulations of said partially closed shell casing, said head portion including a plurality of circularly extending alternately equiangularly arranged pyramidal portions (69) and recessed portions (71) each pyramidal portion having a radially extending blunt edge surface (73) and a substantially blunt apex surface (75), each recess portion (71) having a concave surface extending radially and substantially perpendicularly of the axis of said cylindrical head portion of said core member, said blunt edge surface of each pyramidal portion being disposed obliquely of said axis of said core member and extending radiaily downwardly and outwardly and with each blunt edge surface terminating respectively in a blunt apex surface, the apex surfaces of the pyramidal portions lying substan- 1 tially in a plane disposed perpendicularly of the axis of said core member, said head portion additionally including a center pin (79) fixed on and extending coaxially with said head portion and with the lower end of said pin extending below a plane coincident with said apex surfaces (75), stop means for stopping said core member in said sizing member at a position wherein said recessed portions (71) are arranged slightly below said sizing member shoulder portion (53), means for axially moving said core member in said sizing member and for turning said core member in said sizing member, means for g-uidingly and supportingly interconnecting said base and said sizing member for vertical bi-directional rectilinear relative movement of said base and said sizing member, and actuating means for causing said relative movement.

5. In shotgun shell reloading apparatus including means for partially closing the open end portion of a shotgun shell casing including means for circumferentially inwardly crimping the open end edge portion of said casing to form a plurality of circularly extending equiangularly arranged undulations: the means for completing the closure of the partially closed shell casing comprising a base (17) including structure for vertically suppo-rting said shell casing with said partially closed end arranged upwardly, a sizing member (13) including a lower section (21) including structure defining a downwardly opening socketlike recess and such recess adapted to coaxially receive the partially closed shell casing, said structure defining said recess including an annular shoulder portion (53) having a vertical bore opening (54) coaxially arranged with said cylindrical recess, an upper section (19) included in said sizing member including structure defining a vertical opening (55) arranged coaxially with annular shoulder opening (54), a core member (15) including a body portion (63) and a head portion (67) arranged subjacently of said body portion and with said core member being coaxially arranged with and freely bi-directionally vertically slidable simultaneously in said openings (55, 54) respectively of said upper and lower sections (19, 21), said core member head portion (67) having a circularly extending undulated bottom surface defined substantially by a circularly arranged plurality of uniform equiangularly spaced pyramidal portions (69) with the number of undulations of said bottom surface corresponding in number with the number of undulations of said partially closed shell casing, said core member being freely axially movable to a lowered disposition in which said core member coaxially extends fully through said downwardly opening recess in said sizing member lower section and to such a disposition in which said core member head portion is disposed substantially below said sizing member lower section, stop means for stopping the upward movement of said core member at a position wherein the bottom surface of the stopped core member is arranged slightly below said annular shoulder portion (53) of lower section (21), manually operative means for axially moving said core member in said sizing member and for turning said core member in said sizing member, means for guidingly and supportingly interconnecting said base and said sizing member for vertical bi-directional rectilinear relative movement of said base and said sizing member, and actuating means for causing said relative rectilinear movement.

6. The apparatus as defined in claim 5 in which said manually operative means includes a vertical rod (59) coaxially iixedly secured at the lower end thereof to the upper end of said core member (15 and includes also a knob (65) xedly secured on the upper end of said rod.

7. The apparatus as defined in claim 6 in which said stop means includes an inwardly iianged portion (57) disposed in sizing member upper section (19) and projecting horizontally into the vertical path of movement of said core member, said core member including horizontal structure adapted to abuttingly engage said anged portion.

8. In shotgun shell reloading apparatus including means for partially closing the open end portion of a shotgun 

1. IN A SHOTGUN SHEEL RELOADING APPARATUS OF THE TYPE INCLUDING A BASE HAVING A FLAT UPPER SURFACE, A VERTICALLY DISPOSED BAR SLIDABLY SECURED IN SAID BASE, LEVER OPERABLE ACTUATING MEANS FOR MOVING SAID BAR UP AND DOWN, A HORIZONTAL PLATE MEMBER RIGIDLY SECURED ON THE UPPER END OF SAID BAR, A SIZING MEMBER INCLUDING A LOWER SECTION HAVING A DOWNWARDLY OPENING CYLINDRICAL RECESS AND MEANS SECURING SAID SIZING MEMBER TO SAID PLATE MEMBER WITH SAID CYLINDRICAL RECESS DISPOSED OVER SAID UPPER SURFACE OF SAID BASE; THE STRUCTURE FOR COMPLETING THE CLOSURE OF A PARTIALLY CLOSED SHELL CASING HAVING A PARTIALLY CLOSED OPEN END EDGE PORTION INCLUDING A PLURALITY OF UNDULATIONS THEREIN, SAID STRUCTURE COMPRISING AN UPPER SECTION RELATIVELY FIXEDLY SECURED TO SAID LOWER SECTION, A CORE MEMBER IN SAID UPPER SECTION AND SAID LOWER SECTION FREELY TURNABLE FOR AT LEAST A PART OF 360* ROTATION AND FREELY AXIALLY MOVABLE RELATIVE TO SAID SIZING MEMBER, SAID CORE MEMBER INCLUDING A VERTICALLY DISPOSED CYLINDRICAL HEAD PORTION HAVING A CIRCULARLY EXTENDING UNDULATED BOTTOM SURFACE WITH THE NUMBER OF UNDULATIONS THEREOF BEING EQUAL TO THE NUMBER OF UNDULATIONS OF SAID PARTIALLY CLOSED OPEN END EDGE PORTION OF SAID SHELL CASING; STOP MEANS FOR STOPPING THE UPWARD TRAVEL OF SAID CORE MEMBER RELATIVE TO SAID SIZING MEMBER; AND FINGER GRIP MEANS FOR FREELY AND QUICKLY RAISING AND LOWERING SAID CORE MEMBER RELATIVE TO SAID SIZING MEMBER AND FOR TURNABLY ALIGNING SAID UNDULATED SURFACE OF SAID CORE MEMBER WITH SAID UNDULATED EDGE PORTION OF SAID SHELL CASING, SAID CORE MEMBER BEING FREELY MOVABLE TO A LOWERED POSITION WHEREIN SAID HEAD PORTION EXTENDS OUT OF SAID SIZING MEMBER; SAID VERTICALLY DISPOSED CYLINDRICAL HEAD PORTION OF SAID CORE MEMBER INCLUDING A PLURALITY OF CIRCULARLY ARRANGED PYRAMIDAL PORTIONS AND A LIKE PLURALITY OF CIRCULARLY ARRANGED RECESSED PORTIONS, SAID PYRAMIDAL PORTIONS AND SAID RECESSED PORTIONS BEING ALTERNATELY AND EQUIANGULARLY ARRANGED, EACH PYRAMIDAL PORTION HAVING A RADIALLY EXTENDING BLUNT EDGE SURFACE AND A SUBSTANTIALLY BLUNT APEX SURFACE, EACH RECESSED PORTION DISPOSED BETWEEN TWO PYRAMIDAL PORTIONS HAVING A CONCAVE SURFACE EXTENDING RADIALLY AND SUBSTANTIALLY PERPENDICULARLY OF THE AXIS OF SAID CYLINDRICAL HEAD PORTION OF SAID CORE MEMBER, SAID BLUNT EDGE SURFACE OF EACH SAID PYRAMIDAL PORTION BEING DISPOSED OBLIQUELY OF SAID AXIS OF SAID CORE MEMBER AND EXTENDING RADIALLY DOWNWARDLY AND OUTWARDLY AND WITH EACH EDGE SURFACE TERMINATING RESPECTIVELY IN A BLUNT APEX SURFACE, SAID APEX SURFACE OF EACH SAID PYRAMIDAL PORTION LYING SUBSTANTIALLY IN A PLANE DISPOSED PERPENDICULARLY OF SAID AXIS OF SAID CORE MEMBER. 